Last minute Christmas Ebay craziness

[Puddy]

I have a nephew who works at the local Sears. He works in the electronics area as a salesman. He occasionally calls me if he spots a great deal (usually things they put on clearance). For example, earlier this year I got a 32" Magnavox LCD Flat Panel for $439 when the cheapest I could find them anywhere was $700+. Fast forward to Monday night. He calls to let me know that they put 2 Sony camcorders in the clearance bin. This is the one for $189.99. I show up yesterday afternoon and it's still there, brand new in the box. I had no clue what they are going for at the time but call a buddy (and fellow Huddler) to look up the prices on the net. Find out you can't find one for less than $400 so I scoop it up. Promptly list it on Ebay with a Buy-it-Now price of $369.00 and a promise to have it shipped in time for Christmas. 3 hours later, it's sold for the BIN price. I'm like . After Ebay and PayPal fees, I'm showing a profit of $140 for doing pretty much nothing. 30 minutes after the auction ends and the guy pays me the money, he sends me a message asking if I will reverse the transaction as he doesn't want the camcorder afterall. Well since my market was at it's highest point yesterday (due to getting it shipped in time for Christmas, I put a one-day auction on the thing) and now the listing has disappeared for other potential buyers to see, I explain that fact and he's actually okay with it. I ship it off today.

 

Well, I've been trying to find a Nintendo Wii for my kids the last week or so. When I say trying, I mean asking a store as I arrive if they have any (knowing full well that they won't). My buddy in SC (also a fellow Huddler) told me that his wife has been lining up outside the local WalMart every day for a week before they open trying to land one for $249. I call him today and it just so happens that they received 30 of them this morning and she was 19th in line. I'm much too lazy to do that plus my time is more valuable to me than to spend hours in line with the [furd] unwashed masses [/furd]. With my new found $140 of riches, I decide to Ebay the Wii. Landed one 15 minutes ago for $320 + $30 shipping (which should arrive on Christmas Eve). In my peabrain, the additional $85 I spent on the Wii (since I don't pay sales tax on Ebay) still saved me $55 overall without waiting one minute in line.

 

Wow....I just realized that this whole story pretty much sucks but since I typed so much I'm going to post it anyway.

Edited December 20, 2007 by Puddy

[montster]

I have a nephew who works at the local Sears. He works in the electronics area as a salesman. He occasionally calls me if he spots a great deal (usually things they put on clearance). For example, earlier this year I got a 32" Magnavox LCD Flat Panel for $439 when the cheapest I could find them anywhere was $700+. Fast forward to Monday night. He calls to let me know that they put 2 Sony camcorders in the clearance bin. This is the one for $189.99. I show up yesterday afternoon and it's still there, brand new in the box. I had no clue what they are going for at the time but call a buddy (and fellow Huddler) to look up the prices on the net. Find out you can't find one for less than $400 so I scoop it up. Promptly list it on Ebay with a Buy-it-Now price of $369.00 and a promise to have it shipped in time for Christmas. 3 hours later, it's sold for the BIN price. I'm like . After Ebay and PayPal fees, I'm showing a profit of $140 for doing pretty much nothing. 30 minutes after the auction ends and the guy pays me the money, he sends me a message asking if I will reverse the transaction as he doesn't want the camcorder afterall. Well since my market was at it's highest point yesterday (due to getting it shipped in time for Christmas, I put a one-day auction on the thing) and now the listing has disappeared for other potential buyers to see, I explain that fact and he's actually okay with it. I ship it off today.

 

Well, I've been trying to find a Nintendo Wii for my kids the last week or so. When I say trying, I mean asking a store as I arrive if they have any (knowing full well that they won't). My buddy in SC (also a fellow Huddler) told me that his wife has been lining up outside the local WalMart every day for a week before they open trying to land one for $249. I call him today and it just so happens that they received 30 of them this morning and she was 19th in line. I'm much too lazy to do that plus my time is more valuable to me than to spend hours in line with the [furd] unwashed masses [/furd]. With my new found $140 of riches, I decide to Ebay the Wii. Landed one 15 minutes ago for $320 + $30 shipping (which should arrive on Christmas Eve). In my peabrain, the additional $85 I spent on the Wii (since I don't pay sales tax on Ebay) still saved me $55 overall without waiting one minute in line.

 

Wow....I just realized that this whole story pretty much sucks but since I typed so much I'm going to post it anyway.

 

and yet i read it all. what does that say about me?

[isleseeya]

that is actually a pretty cool story ...got a Wii last year from a friend who owns a small electronics store ( this after i already got one through a good hook up at Toys R US ) ..paid 200 and sold it on ebay for 380 ...my son got his wii which cost me 20 bucks after i sold the 2nd wii i got for 200 for 380

 

Ah capitalism

[Savage Beatings]

The toy that ALL stores are completely out of this year is the Transformers Optimus Prime Voice Changing Helmet. I've been to literally at least 10 different big stores looking for one.

[Atlanta Cracker]

The toy that ALL stores are completely out of this year is the Transformers Optimus Prime Voice Changing Helmet. I've been to literally at least 10 different big stores looking for one.

 

Get your wife something from Victoria's Secret instead

[WaterMan]

I'd like to see that helmet on someone riding a Ripstick.